Atomizing device for internal combustion engines



Sept. 15, 1936. D. L. covYEow ATOMIZING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed OCT.. 2l, 1933 47 Illl"Y "mlm zzggzz.

Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATOMIZING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 6 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to the treatment of the fuel charge, the principal object being to prevent the accumulation( of carbon deposits within the combustion chambers and cylinders of the engine, and accomplish an increase in the power-and eciency of the engine.

The present application involves an invention and improvement over the subject matter of Let-'- ters Patent No. 1,918,898, issued to me on July A general object of the construction is t0 prevent the accumulation of. carbon deposits within combustion chambers as aforesaid by providing a suitable liquid and atomizing and spraying the saine into the fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber of the engine.

A general object of the invention also is to improve the means for atomizing and spraying 20, the liquid into the fuel mixture.

A specific object of the invention is to provide means for obtaining a better division of moisture particles and a better atomizing and spraying result.

A Another specic object of the invention is to improve the valve means for the said liquid. To accomplish-the above objects I have in the concrete exemplication picked out to illustrate the principle of my invention provided openings permitting a cross current of air, which openings may perform the double function of not only securing a decidedly improved division of the moisture particles, but also a Areduction of any vacuum that may exist, as will hereinafter appear.'l

35. AlsoI have in the form selected shown a spirally formed valve stem which also yields a decidedly improved result with respect to dividing the moisture; In addition to this, I have provided novel means forcentering the valve guide tube.

' The invention also has for an object the provision of meansof the character described which will be simple oi construction and -assembly and relatively inexpensive. n I' Others of the objects and advantages attained will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention will behest understood by reference -to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of'this "specification, and in which:

-Fig 1 is a 'fragmentary view, in side elevation,

5'05 illustrating Amore or less diagrammatically the external lparts of an internal combustion engine for automobilesfand the like with the apparatus of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section,

55'? of the device of myy present invention; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevational View of part of the device shown inY Fig. 2.

The concrete exemplification which 'I have chosen to illustrate the principle of my inventionV may be applied generally as shown in the Letters 5 Patent hereinbefore referred to, to which reference is made. The numeral I0, referring'to theA drawing, designates generally the block or housing of an ordinary internal combustion engine of the type used on automobiles and the like. A fuel 10 intake manifold II and an exhaust manifold I2 may be located on the same side of the engine block.

Illustrated conventionally is a carburetor I3 having a pipe I4 leading from a source of hydro- 15 carbon fuel supply (not'shown), and beingy also provided with the usual'throttle Valve rocker arm I5, an operating rod I6, foreshortened as shown in Fig. 1. The carburetor and the other adjuncts are adjusted in the usual way for-the proper op- 20 eration of the engine, just as though the device of the present invention, which is supplementary in its application and utility, were not applied.

In association with the foregoing parts is a liquid supply receptacle I1 provided with a screw 25 cap I8, which screw cap I8 is provided with an opening I9 for a function which will hereinafter be more fully explained. The liquid contents of' the jar may be either plain water, or a mixture of Water and alcohol, or other suitable liquid which 30` may be atomized and sprayed into the fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber of the engine. The screw cap I8 has'a central opening in which is fitted a nipple member A20 having a shoulder 2I. The nipple member 20 is 'secured in 35 place relative to the screw cap I8 by virtue of a cap nuty 22 which threads on nipple member 2U to cooperate with the shoulder 2| of the nipple. member to lock the nipple to the cap. The cap nut 22 has a reduced extension 23, and the cap 40 nut 22 is also provided with an aperture 24, the aperture 24 being on the side of the nut 22 opposite to the opening I 9 and being particularly illustrated in Fig. 3, ant the two apertures being illustrated in Fig. 2. Also the cap nut 22 is internally 45 threaded for engagement with the upper end of a main wick tube 25 which 'is provided with threads 26. The tube 25 in the concrete exempliflcation shown has its upper end terminating withthe upper end of the reduced extension 23. At the lower extremity of the tube 25 the same is provided with apertures 21 constituting ports, for a purpose which will hereinafter be evident. A wick positioning tube 28 extends into and is secured by an annular body of solder 29 to the 55 main wick tube 25, as is particularly shown in Fig. 3. The wick positioning tube 28 extends from approximately the plane of the screw cap I8 downwardly a short distance below the cap nut 22. At the bottom of the main wick tube 25 may be provided a wire spring 30 which may be coiled or looped once and bent so as to provide arms which extend upwardly within the main tube 25 a short distance from the bottom thereof to clamp against the wall of the tube to hold the spring 30 in place within the main tube 25. The wick 3l has an end 32, and the wick leads therefrom into the interior of the wick positioning tube 28 and downwardly therethrough and through the main wick tube 25 to the bottom thereof, and is passed through the loop of the spring 30, as shown in Fig. 2, and is led back up through the main wick tube 25 and the wick positioning tube 28 over the top thereof and around again on the outside to form another end 33. The ends 32 and 33 are secured in position on the outside of the wick positioning tube 28 by means of coiled wire 34 which winds around the outside of the positioning tube 28 and locks the ends between the wire and the tube, as particularly shown in Fig. 3.

Adapted to be secured to the lower end of the main wick tubing 25 is a gauze or mesh guard 35, which may be of frustro-conical shape, having a gauze bottom 35, making the guard entirely closed when secured to the end of the main wick tube 25 by means of a coil of wire 31, as shown in Fig. 2. The screen or guard 35 functions to prevent the entrance of solid matter into the tube 23, and at the same time permits the passage of liquid into the tube therethrough, the shape of the guard being particularly effective for the purpose. If the bottom of the tube should become clogged the liquid may enter through the cylindrical wall of the guard, and also through the small apertures 21.

Mounted within the nipple member 20 is a supplemental nipple member 38 detachably secured thereto by suitable coupling member 39. Extending downwardly through the supplemental nipple member 38 is a nozzle member 40, turned angularly as at 4|, the nozzle member being positioned centrally in the supplemental nipple member 38 by means of a coil of wire 42, shown in Fig. 3. The centering function and operation of the wire 42 will be readily understood by those acquainted with the art. The nozzle extends into the T member 43, which has a leg 44 by which it is secured to the nozzle 40 by means of a body of solder 45, the member 40 extending upwardly through the leg 44 and turned as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 into a central horizontal bore 45 in the T-shaped member 43, which is secured by means of a coupling 41 to the supplemental nipple member 38.

Extending through the nozzle member 48, as particularly shown in Fig. 3, and freely slidable yet restricted, is the stem 48 of a gravity valve 9 which may be supported at rest on valve rest members 50. The stem 48 is provided with a spiral thread 5| to break up the moisture into extremely minute particles as desired. The valve rest members 50 comprise inwardly turned portions of the lower end of the wall of the supplemental nipple member 38, forming in the concrete exempliiication shown a pair of horizontal lugs or bearings.

As described in the Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to, the jar IT may be supported at any 75,' convenient location by any Suitable means- AS shown in Fig. 1, the jar is supported by a bracket element on the engine block.

The T member 43 may be attached at one end to a pipe 52 by a suitable coupling member, the pipe being tapped into the fuel intake manifold at some convenient point, preferably centrallyl of the manifold and between the carburetor and the places where the manifold communicates with the combustion chambers of the engine. The pipe 52 may be attached to the. stem portion of the manifold, and a suitable pet cock or cut-off valve 53 may be provided in the pipe 52 between the nozzle member 40 and the place of connection with the fuel intake manifold. The pet cock or cutoff valve is normally open and is only closed when it may be desired to dispense with the apparatus of the present invention and in making adjustments of the carburetor or other adjuncts for the particular fuel mixture desired for the operation of the engine, which is done regardless of the application and use of the present invention.

At the end of the T member 43 opposite to the end at which the pipe 52 is attached is a reducing cap- 54 which couples the T member 43 to a. reducing pipe 55 by means of a coupling 56, said pipe 55 being in turn attached to the delivery end portion of an air heating element 51. For a detailed description of the heating element and associated parts reference is made to the Letters Patent above mentioned.

It will be understood that air is carried from the heating element 51 in a highly heatedv condition to the nozzle member 40. The liquid in the jar may pass through. the screen 35 and be carried upwardly through the mainwick tube 25, and the wick positioning tube 28, by the capillary action of the wick 30. It will be understood that the Valve member has a plain disc-like head and a central stem portion which fits loosely in the bore of the nozzle member 40, so that while there is free slidability, there is at the same time a restricted space between the stem 48 and the surrounding wall of the nozzle member 4l). It should also be understood that the valve member 49 and the lower end portion of the nozzle member 40 are not formed with exact nicety for a perfectly tted seating esgagement, but they are, rather, somewhat loosely formed so that when the valve member 49 is seated against the end portion of the nozzle member 40 there is no complete stoppage of the passageway through the nozzle member, but only restricted checking of the flow is afforded.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, due to the vacuum in the pipe 52- created by the suction of the engine in operation, the liquid which is brought up into the nipple member 20 by capillary action of the wick 30 and the suction in the main tube 23 and the wick positioning tube 28 is taken oi in small particles and drawn into the tube 52 and converted into a heated vapor in the tube 52. It will be understood that by providing the spiral threads 5l for the valve stem 48, which is conical in cross-section, the moisture particles are finely divided, and the aerated vapor thus finely divided is eventually carried into the combustion chambers of the engine and commingled with the fuel mixture from the carburetor in the intake manifold. It will alsoy be manifest that the openings I9 and 24- will function to permit a cross-current of air within the tube to function in turn to further finely divide the moisture particles, and at the same time the said openings may also function to reduce any vacuum which may exist within the Jar I1. It will also be evident that the coil of wire of spiral spring 42 will function eiectually to center the nozzle 40 in relation to the supplemental nipple member 38, which sleeves it concentrically for effective cooperation with the spiral stem 48. It will also be understood that the wick will be positively maintained in place.

Because of the features herein pointed out, and those pointed out in the Letters Patent hereinbefore mentioned, the result will be that the liquid contents of the jar will be more effectively atomized and sprayed into the fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber of the engine, and will effectively prevent or greatly minimize the accumulation of carbon deposits within the combustion chambers and engine cylinders, with great effect also in fuel consumption, power, and efi'lciency While I have selected particular devices to illustrate the principle of my invention and perform the functions thereof, such as spiral threads, openings, springs, etcetera, neither of these devices nor their location as shown is essential, and the same may be varied or substituted for Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It is to be understood that the particular construction and arrangement shown in the drawing is for the purpose only of illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention, and the structure may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details ai construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An atomizing device of the character described comprising a liquid supply receptacle, a supply pipe for conveying the atomized vapor to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a main wick tube extending within said receptacle, a closure member for said receptacle, a nipple connection between said supply pipe and said wick tube, a nozzle member in said nipple connection, and means for centering said nozzle member relative to said nipple connection interposed between said nozzle member and said nipple connection.

2. An atomizing device of the character described comprising a liquid supply receptacle, a supply pipe for conveying the atomized vapor to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a main wick tube extending within said receptacle, a closure member for said receptacle, a nipple connection between said supply pipe and said wick tube, a nozzle member in said nipple connection, and spring means interposed between said nozzle member and said nipple connection and adapted to serve as a centering device.

3. An atomizing device of the character de- 5 scribed comprising a liquid supply receptacle, a supply pipe for conveying the atomized vapor to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a main wick tube extending within said receptacle, a closure member for said receptacle, l0 a nipple connection between said supply pipe and said Wick tube, a nozzle member in said nipple connection, means for centering said nozzle member relative to said nipple connection interposed between said nozzle member and said nipple con- 15 nection, and a valve mounted between said wick tube and said supply pipe.

4. An atomizing device of the character described comprising a liquid supply receptacle, a supply pipe for conveying the atomized vapor to 20 the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a main wick tube extending within said receptacle, a closure member for said receptacle,

a nipple connection between said supply pipe and said wick tube, a nozzle member in said nipple 25 connection, means for centering said nozzle member relative to said nipple connection interposed between said nozzle member and said nipple connection, and a valve mounted between said Wick tube and said supply pipe, said valve provided 30 with a. spiral stem to impart a swirling motion to the vapor and improve the vaporization.

5. An atomizing device of the character described comprlsing a liquid supply receptacle, a supply pipe for conveying the atomized vapor to 35 the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a main wick tube extending within said receptacle, a closure member for said receptacle, a nipple connection between said supply pipe and said wick tube, a nozzle member in said nipple connection, spring means interposed between said nozzle member and said nipple connection and adapted to serve as a centering device, and a valve mounted between said wick tube and said supply pipe, said valve provided with a spiral stem to impart a swirling motion to the vapor and improve the vaporization.

6. In a charge treating device of the character described, a liquid supply receptacle, a main wick tube extending within said receptacle, a nozzle member communicating with said main wick tube, a wick extending through said main wick tube, and a spiral member extending in said nozzle member, said nozzle member communicating with a supply pipe for conveying atomized vapor to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

DANIEL L. COVYEOW. 

